The biennial Dubai Airshow began Sunday with the Gulf region 's major carriers announcing some of the biggest aviation deals in history .

There was as much speculation swirling around the size of the orders before the event as there was desert sand outside the nearby Al Maktoum airport .

However few predicted that $ 192.3 billion worth of deals for commercial jets -LRB- at list prices -RRB- would be announced on the first day -- a new record that has outstripped the orders from the entire 2007 airshow .

The region 's three big players -- Etihad , Emirates and Qatar Airways -- announced orders for 393 new commercial planes . Boeing and Airbus shared the spoils , with high demand for the 777X , Boeing 's next-generation version of the existing 777 .

The Abu Dhabi based airline Etihad was the first to lay down a marker at the event : a $ 25.2 B deal for 56 new wide-bodied Boeing aircraft , including 25 777X planes , 17 of the biggest 777-9X variants and eight of the 777-8X version .

`` This order enables us to build upon our achievements , using the next generation of aircraft to support our next generation of development , '' said Etihad CEO James Hogan . `` This order is for 2018 out to 2025/2030 . The traffic is there . ''

Later Hogan trumped his Boeing order with an announcement for 87 Airbus jets worth $ 26.9 B at list price , including 50 A350 aircraft , the twin-aisle competitor of the 777X currently in development .

The airline is also set to be the biggest operator of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner , with a new order for 30 of the new planes to add its current deal for 41 of the composite , medium to long-distance jets .

But it was Dubai 's Emirates that revealed the largest order with a $ 76B deal for 150 Boeing 777X planes , plus an additional 50 Airbus A380s , worth $ 23 billion , to bring its order of the superjumbo up to 101 . The airline currently operates 39 of the world 's largest commercial jet .

Low-cost carrier FlyDubai committed to purchasing 111 Boeing 737 jets worth $ 11.4 B.

Doha-based Qatar Airlines added to the impressive figures for Boeing 's 777X with a $ 19B order for 50 of the aircraft . Lufthansa will be the forth `` launch airline '' to receive the new model jet when delivery begins from 2020 onwards . It has 34 on order .

The aircraft is the latest iteration of the company 's 777 series and will be manufactured with all new composite material wings . With a wingspan of 71 meters , the 777-9X is greater than the 747-800 .

`` With around $ 100B worth of orders , this makes it the largest aviation product launch , '' said Boeing Chairman and CEO Jim McNeary . `` We look forward to ... continuing to support Dubai 's expansion into a global aviation hub . ''

Finding room for the new aircraft in Dubai should not be a problem as the Al-Maktoum airport is the city 's second international hub and predicted to be the world 's largest when completed . Dubai 's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum was at the show and supportive of the new airport and mega deals .

`` We can not operate from one airport with all these planes , '' he told CNN 's John Defterios after the Emirate 's announcement .

`` The passengers are growing so much and a lot of people are coming and going from here to America , to Europe and Asia . So Emirates has to be strong and so does FlyDubai . ''

Hogan predicts passenger numbers for Etihad to grow by 14 % annually for the next five years , while Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum , Emirates ' CEO , believes the numbers will come as more countries open up .

`` We do n't want anything below double digital growth in passenger numbers , '' he said . `` Some countries may be scared -LRB- to open up their markets -RRB- , but they really have to open up . ''

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More than $ 160 billion in orders by Gulf airlines agreed in first three hours

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Boeing and Airbus strike huge deals with region 's big three -- Etihad , Emirates Qatar Airways

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Emirates signs $ 76B deal with Boeing for 150 of new wide-bodied 777X airliner